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Who might run for Mayor?

February 16, 2018   ·   0 Comments

By Todd Taylor

The municipal election for the Town of Orangeville is now fast approaching. The Labour Day weekend at the end of September will witness an onslaught of election signs.

Names you have never heard of will be putting their reputations on the line with the hopes of winning a seat on Orangeville council.

To me, the very riveting battle will be for Mayor. The role is incredibly important for any town, especially one with so many key decisions that must be made. The way municipal leaders conduct themselves and the items chosen to focus on will shape the direction for years to come.

In this missive my plan is to simply share my thoughts on who might run for Mayor. In my view, the best situation is to have someone who has previous council experience. To simply step into the “big shoes” as Orangeville’s top dog would be a stretch for most. In addition to previous civic service, a candidate should possess leadership, strategic thinking, visionary skills, and grit.

None of the people listed below have been approached by me, nor have any of them shared their plans. The purpose of this column is to start the conversation about a list of very impressive potential Mayors for Orangeville in 2018.

Mayor Jeremy Williams has already declared he will seek a second term, so the real question is who might decide to run against him. The past three years have been difficult for Mr. Williams. Despite investigations by the police and a council that is now emblazoned with the nickname “Gong Show,” he continues on in the Mayor’s chair. Like President Donald Trump, he is a lightning bolt for conversation. There is a distinct group of those who support the Mayor no matter what the circumstance, and another faction that openly roots for his demise. If nothing else, the Mayor certainly makes Orangeville politics interesting.

Outside of the incumbent, I wanted to share some thoughts on potential contenders, in alphabetical order:

Rob Adams: It is only fair to note that I openly campaigned for Mr. Adams in the last race. (Many suggest my involvement was why he lost). I have no idea if he will put his name forth for Mayor in the next election. Some are suggesting that he is the heir-apparent to David Tilson. Regardless, any list about who might run in Orangeville would be incomplete without the former mayor being mentioned.

Sylvia Bradley: I have really become an admirer of Councillor Bradley in this term. She is well-researched, well-spoken and fearless. It is true that serving as the Mayor may require some more muted opinions, but I do think that Ms. Bradley would be capable of making the transition. If she asked me, I would advise her not to run as councillor. Deputy or Mayor should be her choices in 2018.

Sandy Brown: The local realtor and long-time member of the Orangeville Lions has been a community activist for quite some time. Mr. Brown is not shy about sharing his opinions and ideas about the future direction of Orangeville. The rumours are that Sandy will indeed be putting his name forward for Mayor. In 2014, he ran for Deputy Mayor and made it a close race. I imagine his presence in the mayoralty race would make election night quite interesting.

Nick Garisto: The long-term councillor recently shared with me that “IF” he decided to run for Orangeville’s top job, he would handily beat everyone else. The councillor and former Deputy Mayor also ran for Orangeville’s top job in 2010 but was defeated.

Warren Maycock: George Bush Senior eventually traded in his Vice President job under Ronald Reagan for the big chair. He spent eight years as #2, before becoming President. Sound familiar? To me, our Deputy Mayor is an impressive individual. He fully understands how a municipality works. It is time for Warren to fulfill his political career goal and run for the top job.

David Tilson: Why not? Rumours are that Mr. Tilson will not seek re-election once this federal term is completed. If true, what would the very driven Mr. Tilson do with his free time? Why not help the town and lead us through the next four years? The highly connected and dedicated local MP has plenty left in the tank.

Scott Wilson: Perhaps the most qualified individual on council to be Mayor, Mr. Wilson certainly understands how a municipality should work. He is a problem-solver who is dedicated to making Orangeville better. The current CAO of Wellington County may have difficulty with the increased workload the Mayor’s role would bring. At some point, he simply has to put his name forward. To not do so would be leaving a career incomplete.

I really do think I have nailed the list of potential candidates. There may be some others I am not aware of, but I would be reticent to place a wager on them winning.

One of these eight people I have listed here will be answering to “Your Worship” post-election.

I sincerely hope that whoever wins will inspire great things for the town and Dufferin County.


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